Month: January 2017

In my first article, Networking: How To Stop Dreading It, and Start Enjoying It (Really!) I explored the main problem most of us have with networking, and that is our attitude toward it. Most of us only do it when we have to, and even then, we do it grudgingly. In this article, I share my top 12 tips for improving your networking experience.

When it comes to NETWORKING there are many, many tips and tricks. However, if you don’t start with this ONE, then none of the rest will make a difference.

I know you dread networking. You only do it when you have to and even then, you do it grudgingly.

I know that, for you, networking is just a long four-letter word.

I know this for two reasons. First, I don’t know many people who actually enjoy networking. Second, until I realized my mistake, this is exactly how I felt too. I viewed networking as a necessary evil – I would show up but not really participate.

So, what was my mistake? I had been seeing networking as a chore, rather than treating it as an opportunity.

There are endless articles and cheat sheets that cover networking, but where most of them fail is that they rarely cover the main problem most of us have with networking, and that is our attitude toward it.

Attitude is everything and the simple act of turning a negative into a positive is hugely powerful. Not only will you stop dreading networking, you might even start to enjoy it (really!). Why? Because, viewed in the right light networking is an incredibly useful tool. Done well, it can be used for a variety of reasons: to learn about new trends in your area, to research new avenues, to test out a new idea or thought, and, yes, to expand your network.

Easy for me to say, right? ‘But’, I hear you say, ‘how exactly do I do that?’

If you’re like me, then remembering names can be a struggle. These tips will help you remember, or stop you from being embarrassed if you forget (because no one is perfect but the trick to being a Polished Professional is recovering gracefully).

I made this quick video as we were heading into holiday party season but the tips are useful no matter what season it is!

If you have any tips on how you remember names then I would LOVE to hear them…pop them in the comments below.

Need proof that these things matter?

A 2014 survey of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, placed 'People skills and Relationship-building’ at the top of the list of desirable attributes for employees - a full five places above 'Technical Skills'.

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Did you know?

The Maxims of Ptahhotep were written during the Egyptian Fifth Dynasty (ca. 2414-2375 BC). In them Ptahhotep extols virtues such as truthfulness, listening to others and kindness - proving that these attributes are timeless.